It is shocking that so many adults in today’s world do not have basic reading or writing skills. In an effort to combat these statistics, people around the globe are participating in World Read Aloud Day on Friday, February 1.
There are many ways to participate – Skype visits, read aloud events in your classroom or library, and more.
Reading aloud is a habit that should be a daily one. It gives children an academic advantage over their peers. When I was studying for my children’s literature degree I read hundreds of books. Because many of those books were picture books, I chose to read them with my four-year-old. He started reading sooner than his peers, he scored higher on the ACT than most of his peers, and he graduated near the top of his class. I know that some of this is ability and work ethic, but I strongly believe that the fact that I spent so much time reading to him played into his academic success and his current desire to read for fun.
Read aloud isn’t just for younger children. Students of all ages need to see adults reading and hear stories read in order to understand the importance of recreational reading. Even adults enjoy being read to on occasion.
I encourage you to get involved in World Read Aloud Day. If you need some ideas, the organizations mentioned below can help you out.
Ideas and Information from Lit World
Classroom Activities from TeachHub.com
Activities from Read Write Think
Resources from Scholastic